Mkb 44 Machine Carbine
The Mkb 44 was a submachine gun developed by the German army in late 1943 along side the Stg 44 '''as a smaller and more compact version. __TOC__ '''History Early 1944, as the project for the Stg 44 was constantly put under hiatus by Adolf Hitler, a new submachine gun was put under development by the Waffenamt (Armament Office) '''to increase the combat efficiency of ground infantries and paratroopers. Though the '''Mkb 44 caught the attention and interest of the Führer himself, his acceptance to the Stg 44 '''project in mid 1944 has significantly slowed down the development of this weapon, only to be commenced once again in late 1944. Despite its quick progress and successful prototypes, the weapon was finally completed and released in May 1945, just one month before the fall of '''Reichstag. This caused the weapon to be released in very limited amount (approximately 800 were built) and the termination of this once considered "promising" project. Features The Mkb 44 bares alot of similarities to the Stg 44 as the latter was the inspiration. In comparison with the MP40, the Mkb 44 was vastly superior in many aspects, from fire rate to stopping power and even size. With the body made out of stamped steel, the weapon is very light weighing a mere 4.2 kilograms when loaded while the Thompson '''weighed as much as 5 kilograms even when empty. Not only that, the '''Mkb 44 '''boasted an amazing fire rate of 720 rounds per minute, this was a massive advantage in comparison to the 550 rounds per minute of the '''MP40. Later designs also implemented an ambidextrous magazine release button which allows smoother and faster reloads. A rotating bolt was also installed as a step up from the tilting bolt design of the Stg 44. The 8.3 x 25mm Kurz chambered for the weapon had received many compliments for its stopping power and accuracy. Unlike the common 9 x 19 mm Parabellum, the cartridge packed much more power in a single shot, even as strong as the American .45 ACP while still retaining a small profile. Along with the high velocity (500 m/s measured in the original model) is the accuracy offered by the 8.3 mm Kurz. Being able to hit a target at a range of 300 meters with tight grouping was something rarely seen in submachine guns at the time, a feat that the Mkb 44 '''managed to achieve. '''Variants With a limited amount produced, other models of the Mkb 44 only exist as prototypes or samples with the two below being known. The Kurz '''version of the weapon was created for paratroopers and even tank crews due to its compact design. Unlike the original, this version has a shorter front end and issued mainly with a 30 rounds magazine to minimize its size while still offering an effective weapon platform. However, this version only existed as a prototype and under 90 units were built The '''Mkb 44P or Prototype '''was the first completed version of the '''Mkb 44 '''to be tested by the German military. Appearance wise, the '''Prototype '''version looked rather similar to the '''Mkb 42, the prototype for the Stg 44 this was changed along the course of production to create a better and more refined weapon. Category:Weapons Category:Guns Category:Sub-Machine-Guns